o'brien: coming up: as more sttes legalize same-sex marriage, mainine protestant chures are coming under new presse to allow gay weddings. >>ur call to be inclusive of alleople comes from scriptur >> the churchhouldn't just go along with what the der society demands of t. ♪ >> o'brien: anfor most of his life, this m has composed religious music. what makes that surprising that this m is jazz legend dave bruck. ♪ captioning sponred by the lly endowment

>> o'brien: welcoe. i'm tim'brien, sitting in for bob abernethy. it's good to have you witus. leaders of the wld's wealthiest industrializ nations said their cmitment to poor and developing countrs remains strong, despi the global financial crisis. they have agreed to raise $2 billion dollars withithe next three years for fd and agricultural aid developing countes. the leaders weren italy this week for the annual gup of eight, or g8, summit relious leaders, including pope bedict, had urged them not to andon the needy. the day before the summit ened, benedict issued a new encyclical callg for a global economic system sed on ethics rather than profits. he sd greed and "moral failure" in the businessorld elped create the current financial isis. after the-8 summit concded, presidt obama had his first

face-to-face meeting th the pe in a private session at t vatin. nedict granted a rare afternoon audience in orr to accommote obama's schedule. despite diffences over abortion, t president has said thewo share concerns about a host of isss including global poverty, climate chan and middle east peace. during his visit to moscow lst wee obama and kremlin leader itry medvedev made some progress in curbinghe arms re-agreeing to sharply cuthe number of nuclear warhea each country may deploy er the next seven years. reverend samuel kobia-- geral sectary of the world council of churches-- praisedhe agreement, calli it "a step forward on the diffilt but essential journey thathe world ust take to free itself from the specter of self- destruction massachetts, the first state to legalizgay marriage, this week became the firsttate to challenge t federal defense of marriage act. the lawrevents same-sex married couples from tapng into a wide ran of federal

benefits, like filingoint income tax returns and gettg survivor benefits under cial security. massachusetts attory general martha coakley says cgress has no valid reasonor requiring e state to treat married sam sex couples diferently from all other married uples. it's an important te of the federal law-- one that could well endp in the u.s. supreme court. the issue of g marriage is on the agenda as the u. episcopal church holds its on-every- three-years general conveion in anaheim, calornia. foyears, episcopalians have been deeply divided or homosexuity. one propal being debated at this meeting would allow episcopal churches to condt same-sex weddings ithe six states that ha legalized gay marrge. currently, most mainne deninations do not officially allow same-sexeddings. but t changing legal enronment is adding new pressure. kim lawton s our report.

>> report: boston's historic church of the covenant h been an imptant place for anne crane and sarah peeault. the lesbianouple had their first date there in the late 1970snd by the time massachusetts legalizedame-sex marriage, the twoad been active members for morthan 25 years. so a church weddingeemed the obvious choice. >> in particular, we wanteto be married at our home churc with our communitand our faily and friends. >> reporter: but it was complicated urch of the covenant is dlly aligned with two mainline denomations: the united church of chri and the presbyterian church. and while the u.c.c. has no problem maying same-sex couple it's against national presbyteri policy. >> well, it's painful know tht the church that i've been parof all my life does not cognize our relationship and our marriage as bng a legitime marriage. >> reporter: churcof the covenant workeit out so that a

retired u.c.c. nister conducted the ceremony, anthe presbyterian side of the chuh officially stayedut of it. ane and perreault say their wedding was beautiful a meaninul, but not quite erything they would have plann. >> i felt badly beuse there we people that we would have liked tonclude in our ceremony who could not partipate because they we ordained presbyterian clgy. there was a rl loss there. >> we are couple. >> reporter: for decades, mainline denominationsave been wrestling er issues urrounding homosexuality: whether to odain gay clergy and whether to rognize and bless se-sex unions. now at six states have legalized gay rriage, those battles are king on a new urgency. some church membersre pushing the denominaons to re-assess their licies, while others are fighting to hold thline. mark tooley is predent of the institu on religion and democracy, an advocy group

that suppos conservative positions within mainline denominations. >> the church shldn't just go along with what e wider society mands of it. but the church is ially supposed to faithful to timess teachings that have been presented the church through its scripture a through its traditions. >> to have and toold. >> reporter: curntly, while the unitarians and the u.c. conduct gay maiages, mainline protestantenominations as a rule don't ficially allow it. clergy whoarticipate in same- sex weddings couldace church trals and even risk being defrocked. >> i reby pronounce you husband and husband. >> traditionalis within those churches will rive to help to ense there is as much fidelity as poible, by the clergy to the ficial teachings. >> rorter: in the united methodist church, 83-year-o richard harding has long history of activism foray rights. he helped fou reconciling retired clergy, a neork of retired ptors willing to perform gay marries.

>>here's not a whole lot that theyan do to we retired clergy, and there'a whole lot that they cado to active clergy that they can't dto us. and that's why we'rstepping in. >> reporter: harding ys he believ what he's doing is the right thg, so he's willing to risk any repercussis. >> we could be frocked. would be now sitting here as mr. harding insteadf reverend rding. andn massachusetts, a lay person cano for a day to the ate house and get permissn to officiate aa marriage. i'd still be able to do it, only i justouldn't be a pastor anymore. >>eporter: at church of the covenan interim minister jennifer wegter-mcnelly is a ordainepresbyterian pastor. he says her congregation has been put in a difficulposition of trying to maintain suprt for gay members wile still respecting the natnal denomination. >> we have a long hisry and we're veryctive, and so i think there is a lot of rlly thoughtful hardonversation about how do we be ophetic and main faithful and connectedto

the churches thatre our larger community? >> reporter: so far, th've been ae to do that by keeping ame-sex weddings solely unde the jurisdicti of the u.c.c. part of their churc other congretions don't have that option episcopal clergy also c't conduct gay marriags. in an effort to be even-hand, many massachusetts epcopal churches aren't ing any weddgs, gay or straight. instead, verend pam werntz at bton's emmael episcopal church says they prode a essing for couples who are married the state. >> that could hapn separately, it could happen at the courthouse and then couple comes hereor the ceremony, or can happen in the same ceremony whera justice of the peace predes over the first part of the service anthe priest presid over the blessi and often a eucharist celebration. >> reporter: the comomise may have help circumvent some of the denominational diiculties, but werntz says it wastill

inful for many members. there were people that left the church in feeling a lot sorrow and betrayal thathe episcopal chur couldn't move as fa as i think it needed to ove when same-sex marriage w legalid. >> repter: u.c.c. minister reine abel who does perform gay wdings, say churches need to bbetter at addressing social concerns. >> churches generay are not the leading edge of cultur change in our society. they are often t the engine but t caboose. >> rorter: but despite the new activism, inline clergy continue to be conflicteover the ise, and those who support g marriages still appear to b in the minoty. according to a rect survey by public relion research, mainline clergy e generally

more supportive of gayights than americans a whole. but that doesn't hold tr when it comes to same-x marriage. only ahird of mainline clergy support gay marriage. at number is just about the same for america overall. >> often people in der society are very surprised to len that the mainline churches n't alady accept same sex marria, because typically these churches, at let for the last 50, 60 yes or more have en on the liberal side of social issues. but they have hung bacon the mriage issue. >> repter: for many, it's an iue of basic theology. >> tycally for jews and christian marriage is a metaphor fofaithfulness between god and his peoe and once you begin toedefine what marriage isou ultimately start to redefine who d is and that obvusly and understandably is diffict for christians and jews. >> reporter: in the preyterian church, reverend mary holder naegeli is among tse urging the denomination maintain its stand.

homosexual practice is not god's sign for humanity. t being god's design for humanity, havinthese clear prohibitions inhe scripture make homoseal practice a sin. homosexual rriage makes ermanent a situation that g wants to redeem. >> reporter: but others vocate a different interetation of the bible. >> our call to be ilusive of all ople comes from scripture. it comes from fthfulness to godit comes from understanding that all peoe are made in the image of god and is essential to support peoe in their relationships, to bless tm and support them a nurture them. >> reporte for wegter-mcnelly, the issue also comes downo her pastoral rponsibilities to the people in her pews. >> here g marriage isn't an abstract issue. it not a political issue. it's ry much an issue of the peop of the congregation being in community together.

to tell people that this community that is the cpass for your life not going to bless and suppot you in your timate relationship is kindf an impossibity. >> reporter: but supporters traditional marrge say pastors also have responsibility to thr faith and to the wider church. why would i, a representate of god, help people ma permanentith a vow, i take marriage vows vy seriously, but with a vow tmake permanent th, seal something, that god woul't agree with? >> reporter:s they celebrate their fifth weddinanniversary, anne crane and sarah rreault are glad their church wding worked out. >> it's a liberating feelingnd it's enabled me d us to just, toive our lives honestly an oply, and many people don't have that opportunity d have to continue livg a lie. and that's t sad thing.

>> thoswhom god has joined togetr, let no one put asunder. amen. >> rorter: but given the conflictwithin the mainline churches, the sittion is not likely to change any ti soon. i'm kim lawton in bosto >> o'ien: tens of thousands of muslims gatheed in washington, d.c., forhe annual convention of the islamic siety of north america. d they had a keynote speer who surprised manyevangelical mega-churcpastor and author rick warren. warren cled on muslims and christians to work togetheto promote peace and protect freedom ithe world. he emphasized the need build relaonships based on mutual respe. >> we may disagree over belfs, may disagree over behavior, but we are called a we are commanded to eat each other withignity and respect. >> o'bri: in other news,

president obama h chosen research scientisand evangelical christiafrancis llins to be the next direct f the national ititutes of health. collins led thhuman genome project and has beea leading voice urng a better relationsp between science and religion. he wte the best-selling book, "the language of god: a scientist presents edence for belf." music and religiohave some deep and common root and some ofthe world's greatest musicians have taken the inspiration from higher power. jazz musicians too, ke the legeary dave brubeck-- still performing at age 88 our porter bob faw takes a look abrubeck the man, some of his music, and the faith th maes it all happen. ♪ ♪ >>reporter: for narly six decades, dave bruck has been daling listeners worldwide with s unique inventive style, he has beme a jazz immortal.

♪ what is less known-- and jusas remarkable-is that for much of that time, brubeck h also compos religious music like the commandments whiche recorded for theilken archive of american jesh music. ♪ in his relious scores, brubeck achieves wh he cannot achieve in jazz >> when i write aiece, a saed piece, i'm looking hard a trying to discover what i'm out, and what my parents wer about, the worlis about. >> reporter: youhink religious music can changpeople? >> yeah, sure! >> rerter: brubeck says his

seice in world war two convinced him quote, "mething should be donmusically to strengen man's knowledge of god." in his choral work "gat of justice," also record for the milken archive of erican jewish music, he plea for brherhood and invokes the wor of dr. martin luther king, jr. ♪ >> ♪ if we d't live together as brhers, we shall die. ♪ >> reporter: in "the commandments," brube's message is strictly biblical. >> ♪ ke my commandments. keep my commdments. ♪ >> reporr: his masterwork perford here by the russian natnal chorus, in moscow. >> ♪ alleluia >> reporter: brubeck's classic is a mass which ubeck wrote at the requt of a catholic organization and entled "to hope: a celeation." >> ♪ allela, alleluia

>> the priest said "dave, want ople to be happy." d he said, "i'm tired of pple coming up for communion with sad loo on their faces when should be the happiest day of theiweek. so will you me it rhythmic and kind of feeling osomething to make people move up the sle, aybe swinging a little." ♪ >> reporter: whh explains why, in the midst something reverential, brubeck's artet launches intooe-tapping, rollicki jazz. ♪ >> reporter: for dave brubk, zz not only embraces--t also enhances religion. >> ♪ alleluia, allela

>> reporter: how do the jazz gnify the religious message? >> wellit would go back to the spirituals and the spel singing is so wondeul, so rhythmic and so grt in certain churches. and y, you reach that audience if you have that gospel feelg. >> reporter: sometis, says brubeckthe music shapes the ext; sometimes, it's just e opposite. i hearyou at one point say "my baic approach is to sing the text until someing seems right." >>eah, that's it. ♪ all my ho, all my hope is in you, oh ld, you are my rock

and my strength. ♪ ♪ >> reporr: as for those lyrics, it turns out that'she realm of da brubeck's wife. >> my wife was drivg, and i said "i've finish this." and she said, "no, you hav't fished it." and i id, "well, what did i lve out?" and she said, "god's love,ade visibe. he is invincib." ♪ god's loveade visible. so tt's the way it finished. >> reporter: iolbrubeck, his wi of nearly 63 years, he calls her "the brains of the outfit," choos the texts for

st of his religious scores. >> ter i catch on to what he's after,hen i start reading and inking about well, what could apply. he thks very musically; i tend to think more in rms of the narrative. >> report: have you ever had occasion to say, "ah dear, ts ist quite working; we ought to go another dirtion." would you ever say that the eat dave brubeck? >> ( laughs ) don't think i've ever said w should go in another dirtion. i think i have been bolenough to say, "you knowi just don't think this is quite sang what you want to say." >> reporter: sometimes, tugh, even a wily intervention isn't enough: lten to brubeck's hauing "our father" in "to hope?" >> ♪ deliver us from ev. >> rerter: all this, says ubeck, was composed in a

dream. ♪ in your mercy, keep free. ♪ >> i didream it that night. and it turned out ptty good. >> reporter: you dream, y dream in rmony? do you dream an instrume or do you dream a melod what's the dream? >> uh, mely, orchestration. it's a pretty complete ing. >> repter: is it true that after u had the dream and after you wrote it down yothen decided to become a cathoic? >>eah, i figured somebody's trying to tell me somhing, and go with the flow. >> reporr: whatever the source, whatever the musical frawork, this living legend always tries, he say to convey the same messe: love your enees. you go by all kinds of churches, a they don't seem to

know what chri was trying to ll us. >> reporteryou think it's a very simple message, wh he was trying to tell ? >> no, it,t's profound. probablyhe most profound thing in the bible. it's love ur enemies, do good to those wo hate you. this is what, tme, is the essence of christianity. ♪ >> reporter: and the essencof the8-year-old brubeck, though slowed receny by illness, is that he is stillmprovising, still composing. ♪

>> iidn't play it that way when you asked me cause my hands don't work. >> reporter: yea but your mind stl does. >> yh. ♪ >> reporter: becae what dave brubeck has arned is that whileazz can energize, even thrl, his religious music can transform. you have found music be a vehle to communicate god's command love one another more deeply. thas what it comes down to, i't it? >> yeah. >> rerter: you do that through your music. >> right. ♪ >> reporter: tough it all, his wife says he's own, musically and spiritually. in part, he sa, because when thcomposition does succeed, there inothing quite like it. >> you he a certain idea of what you wre should sound lie.

d sometimes it doesn't sou that good, and sometimes iyou got a great orchestra a great conductor, it sounds bettethan you ev thought it could sound. and that's when you want tjump nd holler and say, "yeah, ma" ♪ >> repoer: taking jazz back to ts roots-- to church. for "religion a ethics newsweekly," thiis bob faw in waington, d.c. >> o'brien: finly, the curious storyf a baseball fan who seted a lawsuit this week, in whi he claimed he was kicked out of yankee stium for trying to go to the men's room durg the playinof "god bless america." the yankees were pling their archival boston red x at the time. the ci did not admit liability, but it will ge the fan, bradfordampeau laurion, $10,0 dollars and pay another $12,000 in gal fees.

laurion had claimed was the victim of political a religious discriminion. maybe, butt's worth noting laurions a native of new hampshire and had been oting for the bostoned sox. that's ourrogram for now. i'm tim o'brien. there's more on ouwebsite, incling more of kim lawton's interviews omainline churches and gay marriag aud and video podcasts are also availale. join us at pbs.org. we leave you, the andrae crouch sgers at michael jacon's memorial service this week. ctioning sponsored by the lilly endowmen

captioned by media access gup at wgbh acss.wgbh.org

narror: saturday evening, and the universe is much the sam as aany other point in the htory of the world. the planets and star orbit and spin and do erything that is expectedf them. on earth, as theun sets, millions prepare foa weekly event which is f less predictable.